Mark Twain News

The Drama League has announced Academy and Tony Award-winner Kevin Kline and 'American Idol' finalist Justin Guarinihave joined the roster of special guest performers for the 34th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway and the launch of the Benefit Gala Auction.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, adapted by Laura Eason from the novel by Mark Twain, will open at The Otto M. Budig Theater just in time for the start of the holiday season! This high-spirited adventure tale will be directed by Associate Artistic Director Sara Clark and features Resident Ensemble members Cary Davenport, Caitlin McWethy, Kyle Brumley, Miranda McGee, and Justin McCombs. This production is sponsored by Dinsmore, Johnson Investment Council, and PNC.

Master storyteller Mike Daisey returns to Philadelphia Theatre Company with two new monologues that explore the normalization of Trump's administration and the rise and fall of the press. In the follow-up to critical smash The Trump Card, This Is Not Normal (November 9-11th) addresses the fever gripping all of us and how quickly that fever can become fascism. In The End of Journalism (November 10-11th), Daisey explores how journalism as we know it in America has ended, peeling back layers of real and fake news to find the darkly hilarious truth. Daisey's performances are part of PTC's 2017-2018 festival-style theatre season that includes plays, music, comedy and political commentary. Daisey is the third national voice at PTC this fall, following NPR's Bob Garfield and Golden Globe Winner Kathleen Turner. Normal and Journalism will take place at Philadelphia Theatre Company at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (480 S. Broad Street). Tickets are on sale for $25-$69 at philadelphiatheatrecompany.org, at the box-office, or by calling 215-985-0420.

BroadwayWorld continues our exclusive content series, in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which delves into the library's unparalleled archives, and resources. Below, check out a piece by Stephen Bowie, Digital Curatorial Assistant of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, on Revisiting Baker Street: An Interview with Jerome Coopersmith.

This afternoon the Orlando Fringe released the names of each of the 26 shows that will be appearing at their upcoming Winter Mini-Fest in January.

Performances of Boston Playwrights' Theatre's (BPT) Elemeno Pea begin next week.

America & NPR's pre-eminent humorist, DAVID SEDARIS, is the literary world's rock star! He's admittedly self-absorbed and neurotic, prefers to refer to himself as a "lucky typist" rather than a "writer," but the validity in Sedaris' success is in how others describe him: "this century's answer to Mark Twain," "Garrison Keillor's evil twin," "comic literature's answer to The Rolling Stones," and New York Magazine calls Sedaris "the most brilliantly witty New Yorker since Dorothy Parker." 

Back by popular demand for Halloween week, the Capital Classics Theatre Company presents radio-theatre style performances at The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford.

The Drama League has announced the roster of special guest performers for the 34th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway and the launch of the Benefit Gala Auction.

The age old debate of nature versus nurture finds itself at the heart of Willy Russell's BLOOD BROTHERS, which runs Oct. 19-29 at the Weathervane Playhouse (100 Price Street in Newark).

Barter Theatre announced its 2018 Season lineup during an exclusive preview event featuring select excerpts from various productions. The event revealed details of more than 15 diverse shows planned for 2018.

The Player's Guild of Leonia revives a tradition of family fun designed for kids of all ages! Young and old alike will enjoy this year's production of the Prince and the Pauper performed in the hilarious Commedia Del Arte style!

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents writer-performer Robert Dubac's off-Broadway hit, THE BOOK OF MORON - a one-man comedy that combines the energy of stand-up with the thrill of live theater, takes a hilarious joy ride down the pot-holed highways of cultural hypocrisy.

Abingdon Theatre Company announces the initial lineup for its 25th Anniversary Season. With a list of celebrated and promising new artists, Abingdon Theatre Company's 2017 - 2018 season features premiere productions on the main stage, a one-night-only gala event honoring and featuring legendary artists, and ongoing initiatives fostering the work of emerging theater-makers.

America & NPR's pre-eminent humorist, DAVID SEDARIS, is the literary world's rock star! He's admittedly self-absorbed and neurotic, prefers to refer to himself as a lucky typist rather than a writer, but the validity in DAVID SEDARIS' success is in how others describe him: this century's answer to Mark Twain, Garrison Keillor's evil twin, comic literature's answer to The Rolling Stones, and New York Magazine calls Sedaris the most brilliantly witty New Yorker since Dorothy Parker.

A family classic has been given a fresh twist in Connecticut's own A Connecticut Christmas Carol by LJ Fecho and Michael O'Flaherty. Goodspeed Musicals continues its commitment to fresh, innovative works with this new musical infused with Connecticut flavor. A Connecticut Christmas Carol will run November 17 December 24, 2017 at The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.

Is He Dead?/by Mark Twain/adapted by David Ives/Glendale Center Theatre (GCT)/directed by Todd Nielsen/through November 18 GCT loves doing seasonal shows. Since it's only weeks away from Halloween, what could be more fun than a melodramatic and satirical romp that focuses on a nasty villain and a man in a dress? Mark Twain wrote Is He Dead? in 1898 but the incredible fact is it wasn't published until 2003. Adapted by David Ives it received a production on Broadway in 2007 starring Norbert Leo Butz.

As The Royal Conservatory of Music's 2017-18 concert season is set to begin, five of the upcoming Koerner Hall concerts are already sold out, including the Season Gala concert with Hollywood star Bill Murray and his friends Jan Vogler (cello), Mira Wang (violin), and Vanessa Perez (piano).

Long Wharf Theatre presents The Chosen, adapted by Aaron Posner and Chaim Potok from the novel by Potok, directed by Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein, from November 22 through December 17.

A lineup of leading performers, including Senator Al Franken, Jimmy Kimmel, Norm Macdonald, Steve Martin, John Mulaney, Bill Murray, Amy Schumer, Paul Shaffer, Martin Short, Eddie Vedder, Jimmie Walker, and others will salute David Letterman at the 20th annual Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor